Nuapada: People in a far-flung corner of this district trekked almost 15 kilometres with a skeleton to the nearby police station to protest against the suspected custodial death of a local resident who was believed to be a Maoist sympathiser.

The incident at Bhainsadani village has once again brought to the fore the insensitivity of the police towards human plight.

Sukal Sai Paharia, a postgraduate who served the local people as a health worker, was reported missing since April 19, the day he was summoned by Boden police station officials. Local people felt that Paharia died due to custodial torture as the cops suspected that he was a Maoist sympathiser.

Local people claimed to have retrieved the skeletal remains of Paharia on June 9. A towel, a bag, a mobile phone and a pair of slippers were spotted near the skeleton. Paharia's widow Saubhagya had identified the belongings of her spouse.

The police were informed of the skeleton recovery. But they shied away from venturing into the dense forest to recover the skeleton. Finding no other way, the villagers carried the skeleton and walked all the way to the Boden police station, located some 15 kilometres away from the remote village.

"I ran from pillar to post after my spouse did not return home. Local police summoned him on April 19. I even wrote the higher authorities in the police force and also to the National Human Rights Commission, but to no avail. The recovered skeleton is that of my spouse. My world has fallen apart. The local police tortured and killed my husband," alleged Saubhagya.

Inspector of Boden police station Srikant Bairk admitted that a complaint was received from Saubhagya Paharia who suspected that the skeleton was that of his husband.

"The skeleton has been sent for forensic test. If required, we will pray to the court for the DNA test of the skeleton. The local people voluntarily carried the skeleton to our police station even before we could arrive there," he said.